Author Archives: kevin

LMT 2020 Fall – Problem 9

$\triangle{ABC}$ has a right angle at $B$, $AB = 12$, and $BC = 16$. Let $M$ be the midpoint of $AC$. Let $ω_1$ be the incircle of $\triangle{ABM}$ and $ω_2$ be the incircle of $\triangle{BCM}$. The line externally tangent to … Continue reading

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LMT 2021 Team Round – Problem 17

Given that the value of $$\sum_{k=1}^{2021}\dfrac{1}{1^2+2^2+3^2+…+k^2} + \sum_{k=1}^{1010}\dfrac{6}{2k^2-k} + \sum_{k=1011}^{2021}\dfrac{24}{2k+1}$$ can be expressed as $\dfrac{n}{m}$, where $m$ and $n$ are relatively prime positive integers, find $m+n$. Click here for the solution. Solution: $$S=\sum_{k=1}^{2021}\dfrac{1}{1^2+2^2+3^2+…+k^2} + \sum_{k=1}^{1010}\dfrac{6}{2k^2-k} + \sum_{k=1011}^{2021}\dfrac{24}{2k+1}$$ $$=\sum_{k=1}^{2021}\dfrac{6}{k(k+1)(2k+1)} + \sum_{k=1}^{1010}\dfrac{6}{k(2k-1)} … Continue reading

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Math Olympiad Exercise – 1

Find the formula for the following summary: $$\sum_{k=1}^{n}(\dfrac{1}{2k}-\dfrac{1}{2k+1}+\dfrac{1}{k+n})$$ Click here for the solution. Solution: The formula is $$ S(n)=\sum_{k=1}^{n}(\dfrac{1}{2k}-\dfrac{1}{2k+1}+\dfrac{1}{k+n})=\dfrac{2n}{2n+1}$$ Proof by induction: For $n=1$, $$S(1)=\dfrac{1}{2}-\dfrac{1}{3}+\dfrac{1}{2}=\dfrac{2}{3}=\dfrac{2\cdot 1}{2\cdot 1+1}$$ and the claim is correct. Assume for $n=m$, the claim is correct, therefore … Continue reading

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2020 Mathcounts State Sprint Round #30

Hank builds an increasing sequence of positive integers as follows: The first term is 1 and the second term is 2. Each subsequent term is the smallest positive integer that does NOT form a three-term arithmetic sequence with any previous … Continue reading

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Cyclic System of Equations

Find $abc$. $$ \begin{array}{ll} a+\dfrac{1}{bc} = \dfrac{7}{6}\\ b+\dfrac{1}{ca} = \dfrac{7}{3}\\ c+\dfrac{1}{ab} = \dfrac{7}{2} \end{array} $$ Solution Multiply the first equation by $bc$, the second by $ca$, and the third by $ab$: $$ \begin{array}{ll} abc+1 = \dfrac{7}{6}bc\\ abc+1 = \dfrac{7}{3}ac\\ abc+1 … Continue reading

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